Lawn edger



Oct. 16, 1962 A. KEINATH 3,058,530

LAWN EDGER Filed July 21. 1961 2 sheets-sheet 2 States My inventionrelates to a lawn edger, a tool for trimming grass extending over a walkor curb.

The principal objective of my invention is to provide a tool for suchwork which one may operate ystanding up.

Another objective is to be -able to ydo the edging more expeditiously.

A still further objective is to provide a cheap simple tool of fewparts.

The structure of my edging tool is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings of which FIG. l is -a plan View, FIG. 2 is a side elevation,FIG. 3 is an end elevation, FIG. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a side elevation showing the tool humped prior toforward movement, and FIG. 6 is Ia side elevation of a cutter blade.

Throughout the drawings and the specifications similar numerals refer tosimilar parts.

The basic idea behind my invention may be designed in many ways withoutdeparting from the essence of said idea. For purpose of illustration Ishall describe the too1 made up in part of standard sections that haveproved out in practice.

The edger E has a frame F made up of two 11/2" x 11/2" x l/s angles 1about 91/2" long welded (bolted or riveted) together at one end thereofin spaced apart relation and adapted to receive between them at theopposite end thereof a cutter blade 2 4formed of 3 saw plate Unit /32which is pivotally connected by a bol-t or pivot pin 3 mounted in theupstanding ears 4 welded `to the horizontal legs 1 of the frameangles 1. The vertical leg 1" of said frame angles 1 is relieved asshown at 5 for a purpose to be -later stated. This vertical leg 1" isshorter than the horizontal legs 1' which is extended to provide thefoot piece 6 which depends at about 45 degrees from the horizontal Iandterminates in the pad 7 parallel to the horizontal legs 1.

At the secured together end of the frame angles 1 is positioned the heelstop 8 which is rectangular in form and about 1716 high. Forward of theheel stop is the foot rest 9 formed of two oppositely disposed angles 10of 1,/16" stock whose vertical legs 10 are so positioned between thevertical legs 1" of the frame angles 1 as to give a 30 degree slope tothe normally horizontal legs 10" of said angles 10-their yslope beingtoward the heel stop 8. Also serving as a spacer for the angles 1 is theback stop 11 rectangular in form which depends at a 45 degree angleabout l" below the foot piece 6 .las clearly shown in FIG. 2.

The cutter blade 2 as shown in FIG. 2 extends forward of and below thebottom line of the frame angles 1 about l". I have made this cuttingblade with a straight cutting face but I prefer to make it withserrations or teeth 12 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 where tough tufts ofgrass are common. These serrations or teeth have a 2% pitch and areabout 3A deep-both faces of the teeth being ground from both sidestoward the center. A 30 degree slope is given the bottom face of saidteeth with the back 'slope at right angles thereto.

The cutter blade 2 is -about 9 long and 71/2 high. At the outer end ofsaid blade 2 are a series of holes 13 provided for the bolts 14 whichhold the angle stops 15 to the cutter blade 2, said stop-s 15 serving totix the depth the cutter blade 2 may enter the ground G when tilted asshown in FIG. 5. Further regulation of the cutter blade 2 is secured theoperating handle 17 which is `shown holes 16 are provided in the cutterblade 2. To the cutter i atet HCS blade 2 is secured the operatinghandle 17 which is shown to be a length of 3%1 pipe slit to straddlesaid cutter blade and 4fastened thereto by the screws 18. A rubber grip19 terminates the handle 17. The handle might be welded to the cutterblade 2 but this makes for awkward shipment and tor grinding the bladeteeth 12.

The operation of my lawn edger follows the action of a worm movingalong. The worm holds its head portion and humps its middle portion bydrawing its rear portion forward then holds its rear portion and moveslits 'head portion forward as it lowers its middle portion.

The oper-ation of my lawn edger follows:

My device is first placed in the relationship to the ground G as shownin FIG. 2. The upper end of the operating handle 17 is then movedfroward which cause-s the front end of the cutter blade 2 to be lowereduntil the stop angles 15 thereon come into contact with the ground G atwhich time the rear end of the cutter blade 2 will be raised as shown inFIG. 5. In order to reach `the position shown in FIG. 5 the foot pad 7and the back stop 11 will be moved forward. Upon the backward or returnmovement of the operating `handle 17 the foot pad 7 and the back stop 11will dig in as the blade 2 is moved forward from 3" to 4" to thehorizontal position shown in FIG. 2. The `digging in of the members 7and 11 is facilitated by a slight pressure of the operators foot as heholds his Ishoe heel against the heel stop 8 while the `ball of his footrests upon the foot rest 9. As the device buckles or jackknifes -it hasa more unobstructed movement due to the relieving of the frame angles 1at 5.

Since my lawn edger may be built of standard sections as shown ordesigned to use sand or extruded castings I do not limit my invention tothe exact design shown but extend it to Iall that comes fairly withinthe scope 'of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A lawn edger having in combination, a thin substantially rectangularblade having a bottom cutting edge; an operating lever extendingupwardly above the top edge of said blade to which -it is securedrearwardly of the blades vertical median line; a rearwardly extendingelongated frame hingedly connected to the blade rearwardly of saidVertical median line and adjacent the blades horizout-al median line; abacfkstop secured adjacent the rear end of the frame and dependingtherefrom and adapted to be imbedded in the ground; and a front stop`secured to the yfront edge of the blade and above its cutting edge tolimit the distance the cutting blade may enter the ground when .theblade is advanced by moving the top end of the operating lever to therear.

v2. The structure of claim l in which the lfront stop and the hingedconnection of the frame may be raised or lowered to meet conditionsencountered.

3. A lawn edger having in combination, a thin substantially rectangularblade having a bottom cutting edge; an elongated operating leverridgedly secured to said blade rearwardly of the cutting blades verticalmedian line and extending upwardly above the top edge of said cuttingblade; a front stop positioned adjacent the front edge of the cuttingbla-de to limit the depth that :the cutting blade may enter the ground;an elongated frame member extending rearwardly of the cutting blade; ahinged connection between said frame member and the cutting blade, whichconnection constitutes the fulcrum point through which the line of forcepasses vfrom the operating lever t-o the forward bottom corner of thecutting blade in the manner of a bent lever of the tirst class; and astop depending from the rear end of the frame member and adapted to beimbedded in the ground when downward pressure is applied to the framemember by the edger operator.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which the front stop and the hingedconnection of the frame may be raised or 2,615,246 Lttig Oct. 28, 1952lowered vto meet conditions encountered. 2,624,938 Davis Jan. 13, 19532,844,084 Greenland L. July 22, 1958 References Cited-in the flle ofthis patent 2,896,389 Dupres July 2g, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENTS 52,910,127 Saunders Oct. 27, 1959 1,800,905 IRiefl Apr. 14, 1931CERTIFICATE) Patent No. 3,058,530

oF CORRECTION October 16V 1962 Alvin Keinath It is hereby certified thaterr ent requirin g correction and that th corrected below.

Column l, handle I7 which is shown" the pivot pin 3 for which (SEAL)Attest:

ESTON G. JOHNSON `Attesting Officer line 7l, strike out or appears in the abo-ve numbered pate said Letters Patent should read as DAVID L. LADDCommissioner of Patents

